Santosha and the Eclipse Season for the fish #movementmonday with Sam Merkur

“You must not let your life run in the ordinary way; do something that nobody else has done, something that will dazzle the world. Show that God’s creative principle works in you.” Paramahansa Yogananda, from the Autobiography of a Yogi

If there is one month I am partial to it is definitely March. It is a time of rebirth, when the Equinox is hovering over us with her light, and it’s my birthday. I adore being a Pisces, and for those of you who share this birth month with me, I have no doubt you will agree that celebrating this Zodiac sign is an honour. Being a fish is characterized by empathy and deep emotional capacity. The astrologers believe Pisces are more intuitive than others and have an artistic talent. People born under the Pisces sign have an instinctive understanding of the life cycle and are known by their wisdom. Pisces are never judgmental and always forgiving.

However, this year I was accused on several occasions of not celebrating my coveted birthday with a true, loving, yogic essence. I suppose I am guilty of that…I did everything in my power to lay low and not call attention to myself. I purposely removed any social media notifications reminding my network what day I was born, and went about my business as usual! But I questioned, if I quietly chose to celebrate my birthday privately, or even not to celebrate at all, how that had any bearing on how I practice my yoga?

Often, when my intuition is challenged, I turn to the greater universe to guide me back to a place of understanding and contentment. In yoga, we call this Santosha. The art of being content with what you have and where you are, instead of wishing for things you don’t have or daydreaming of the future. It is about living in the present and feeling true satisfaction. When you can experience this kind of contentment, supreme joy is around the corner. I suppose, I felt more like celebrating and cultivating my santosha than my birthday.

As the days grow longer and the Equinox flirts with my inner spirit, I welcome the beginning of the Eclipse Season. It is clearer to me now why I needed to go underground for a few days surrounding this year’s celebration. We are having a Total Solar Eclipse in Pisces!!! Solar Eclipses are very potent New Moons and astrologically, translates into altering old wounds, trauma, anxiety, or blockages into new strengths.

I confidently can say, I practiced my yoga these past weeks with an unknown intention. Quietly placing my birthday in a sacred space to lead closer to Santosha. I now know it was not with yogic conflict or disrespect to my birthday, but my own way to kick-start a continued evolution of self. This was a great birthday, I hope for you too. Namaste

MOVEMENT MONDAY: Matsyasana/Fish Pose

This pose is dedicated to the mythological Fish of Incarnation. Sit in Padmasana (Lotus), and begin to lower your back to the floor. Arch the back by lifting the neck and chest taking the crown of the head on the floor. Hold your feet with your hands and drag the head further back and away from the body to increase the back arch. This is a big back bend and a fairly advanced pose, with the chest fully expanded allowing the breath to become fuller. The thyroid is nourished by the long stretch in the neck and the pelvic heads and joints are in full extension.

Sam Merkur: Certified Yoga Instructor, (CYA-RYT) and Iyengar trained, uses Yoga to assist with healing injuries, aiding in recovery from surgeries, managing chronic and degenerative issues, and as a preventative measure to increase stability and mobility for overall well-being. Sam is a mother of 2 kids, two dogs and the founder of Yogabodii. Visit: yogabodii.com